WELDING & HOT WORK AIR MONITORING CHECKLIST PAGE 1 OF 4

1.0 Project Information
1.1 Date of Air Monitoring:
1.2 Company Name:
1.3 Location: / 1.4 Project #:
2.0 Employee Information
2.1 Name:
2.2 Position: / Welder / Pipefitter / Apprentice / Helper / Other (specify):
3.0 Welding Process
3.1 Welding Process Type:
Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)
Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)
Carbon Arc/Plasma Arc (CAC/PAC)
Other (specify): / Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)
Flux-core Arc Welding (FCAW)
Submerged Arc Welding (SAW)
3.2 Base Metal:
Is an MSDS available (check box if Yes): For metal? For consumables?
Base metal type:
Stainless Steel
Mild Steel
Other (specify):
Additional base metal properties:
Thickness of the base metal (i.e. inches, gauge, etc.): / Reported composition of the base metal:
% Chromium % Manganese
% Nickel %Copper
% Zinc
Other (specify):
3.3 Description of Welding Activities/Processes:
Whatare the partsbeing welded (for documentation purposes only)?
3.4 Welding variables:
Current Amperes
Voltage Volts
Shield Gas Composition:
Electrode size: / 3.5AWS electrode name:
Composition:
% Chromium% Zinc
% Nickel % Manganese
% Copper
% Other (specify):

The practices and cautions described in these materials are believed to be sound and practical, but their applicability to specific situations or compliance with any governmental regulations cannot be assured. Users of these materials must independently evaluate the solutions depicted with respect to all legal and safety issues. The end user accepts all liability for any consequences of use and is solely responsible for knowing and complying with all applicable laws, rules and policies.

Checklist Instructions

This checklist is designed to assist SMACNA – Western Washington members with evaluating potential airborne exposures to total welding fumes and a variety of metal fumes associated with welding and other hotwork. Each of the 8 sections contains important information to assist with assessing results and identifying trends and future results when performing the same work. Those parameters highlighted in yellow below are those which are critical variables in determining airborne metal oxide concentrations.

1.0 Project Information
Company name, project number, and date are important as identifiers for the sample results. Date may also be useful to evaluate potential season trends; for example, doors may be open in warmer months contributing to better ventilation in the area.
Location is an important factor in that UW FRCG findings have shown that the two variables most closely associated with welding fume results are what work is being performed (3.0 welding process) and where the work is being done (4.0 location). In section 1, we are looking for shop or field location. More details on location are included in section 4.
2.0 Employee Information
Name may also be used as a sample identifier but is obviously not a factor in results. After notifying the employees of their results, companies may wish to keep names confidential in summary data. It may be useful to note exposure differences among job titles; however, this information is not critical.
3.0 Welding Process
3.1 Welding Process:This variable is the most important to collect as it is statistically most closely associated with exposure outcome. Welding types are ranked from highest fume exposure to lowest fume exposure as follows: Carbon Arc/Plasma Arc (CAC/PAC), Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Flux-core Arc Welding (FCAW), Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), Submerged Arc Welding (SAW).
3.2 Base Metal: It is important to review the material safety data sheet (MSDS) for both the base metal being welded or thermally cut, and the filler metal. If either contains high concentrations of chromium (>10%) then CrVI exposures must be evaluated. (Lower Cr concentrations may also result in CrVI exposures depending upon how well ventilated the welding space). Manganese exposures should be evaluated when doing hot work on mild steel. Work on alloys containing nickeland zinc should be evaluated. When doing carbon arc cutting, it is also possible to exceed exposure limits for copper.
3.3 Description of Welding Activities/Processes:The part being welded is only included here for documentation of job but is not necessarily relevant to exposure outcome.
3.4 Welding variables:Current, voltage and shielding gas composition are important factors in controlled welding outcome research studies. It may be important to document these to evaluate potential engineering controls; reducing current and voltage to the lowest settings possible that still gets the job done, and replacing pure CO2 shielding gas with an argon blend will reduce fume generation. Noting whether GMAW is being done by spray transfer or pulsed current is helpful as pulsed current is associated with lower exposures.
3.5 AWS electrode information:As with the base metal, MSDS for the filler materials should be reviewed and the percentage of the following metals noted.Filler material contributes up to 95%of the fumes generated during welding. During carbon arc cutting, most fumes are generated from the base metal and the rod.
4.0 Location
4.1 Provide a specific description and/or diagram of the welding area on a separate sheet.
Diagram provided? / Photos?
4.2 Is the work area outdoors (check box if Yes)? Wind Direction:
4.3 Estimated Size of the welding area room:cubic feet
4.3 Is the area a confined space?Is it: Large enough to enter and work in? Limited access and exit?
Not designed for human occupancy?
4.5Are other welders actively welding in the area (check box if Yes)? How many?
5.0 Ventilation
5.1 Is local exhaust ventilation available (check box if Yes)?
If yes, please provide the following information:
Make and Model of local exhaust ventilation equipment:
5.2 Capture velocity: 5.3 Distance to weld/welder positioning:
5.4Is natural ventilation occurring (check box if Yes)?
If yes, please describe the natural ventilation, including the direction relative to the welder's breathing zone:
5.5Are general ventilationequipment(fans/make up air) in operation (checkif Yes)?
If yes, please describe the equipment:
6.0 Personal Factors
6.1 Welder Body Position Relative to the Welding Point
Distance of the Welder's head from the plume:
6.2 Head position relative to the plume: Within the plumeAway from the plume
6.3 Positioning of Weld:FlatOverheadHorizontalVertical
7.0 Personal Protective Equipment (Specify Name, Model, and Type)
7.1 Respirator:
7.2 Helmet:
7.3 Gloves:
7.4 Other:
8.0 Air Monitoring Specifics
8.1 Start Time: End Time:
8.2 Total amount of air monitoring period spentwelding: minutes
8.3 Percentage of air monitoring periodspent on: % Welding % Prep/setup
% Grinding % Other (specify):
8.4 Compared to most days, today was: Typical Busier Slower
RESULTS (as an 8-hour TWA) in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) ______

See ATTACHED report dated: ______

4.0 Location
Here it’s important to note whether work isoutside, in the shop (whether open or restricted) or in a confined space.Exposure to welding fumes depends upon the airflow and ventilation available in the work space, as well as what other hot work is going on in adjacent areas. Document the approximate size of the welding area in cubic feet. If welding or other hot work is performed in a confined space, the likelihood of metal fume exposures is greater. A confined space is defined as: large enough to enter and work in, with limited access and exit, and not designed for human occupancy. Open areas are those with high ceilings (>16 ft) and available welding space greater than 10,000 ft3 per welder. Restricted airflow areas may be booths with curtains or screens or even outside areas surrounded by a tarp or ‘hooch’. Adjacent work may contribute somewhat to exposures, especially carbon arc cutting.If hot work is done outside, document wind direction and whether welder is able to remain upwind.
5.0 Ventilation
Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) captures welding fumes at the source. In order to be effective, the hood or duct should be positioned within one hood or duct diameter from the arc. A capture velocity of 100 feet per minute is effective at capturing fumes but is not so strong that it will interfere with shielding gas.It is important to note whether LEV is being used and whether it is positioned correctly.Natural ventilation includes open bay doors, while general ventilation includes ceiling and pedestal fans. Ceiling fans are often too far away to help much with moving fumes away from welders’ breathing zones, while pedestal fans may move the airborne contaminants into your neighbors’ area.
6.0 Personal Factors
Studies have shown that welding position is associated with exposures, with the flat welding position resulting in the highest concentrations and overhead the lowest. Positioning the head a mere inch or two away from the welding smoke can also make a significant difference in exposures.
7.0 Personal Protective Equipment (Specify Name, Model, and Type)
The most important PPE to note here is respiratory protection and whether it is providing adequate protection in case of an overexposure.
8.0 Air Monitoring Specifics
The checklist may be used in conjunction with a sampling data sheet which will include sampling start and stop time; time the sampling pump ran along with its flow rate is required for the lab to calculate airborne metal fume concentrations. Industrial hygienists should ask the welder approximately how much time (or per cent time) was spent actually welding (striking the arc) compared with grinding (not hot enough to result in fume exposure, only dust exposure) and fitting and other tasks, as well as whether it was atypical day of welding.
RESULTS (as an 8-hour TWA) in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) ______
PELs for comparisons (in µg/m3)
Aluminum, Iron, Molybdenum, Total Welding Fume, Zinc: 5000
Manganese: 1000 or 200 (ACGIH Threshold Limit Value) Nickel: 1000
Copper: 100 Cobalt: 50 Hexavalent Chromium, Cadmium: 5

For further information or for a proposal to provide exposure evaluations during welding and hot work, contact Venetia Runnion at Argus Pacific at 206-285-3373 or

Other valuable resources include: the SMOHIT Welding Health Hazards and Control Measures chart ( and Hexavalent Chromium Exposure Control (HexChEC): Best Practices for Welders. The HexChEC package (manual, poster and video) should be used together. While it was developed for stainless steel hot work, its emphasis on effective local exhaust ventilation would also apply to controlling exposures when performing hot work on other metals. (

SMACNA – WESTERN WA Version 03.01.11 BW SMACNA Welding Checklist FINAL